ABSTRACT
Grief involves the loss of a person with whom we share an attachment. Our interpersonal bonds are at the heart of our responses to losing our loved ones. In this chapter, Bowlby’s attachment theories are discussed, along with Ainsworth’s descriptions of attachment behaviors. Personality styles as they relate to patterns of attachment are described. The neurology involved in attachment is another topic explained within the grief context, along with connections to memories and Damasio’s somatic marker theory. Our emotional bonds with others not only dictate the nature of our grief response but also our ability to cope. Therefore, we must understand the significance of forming healthy relationships despite the risk of experiencing grief when death disrupts them.
